“Cannot you describe her?  I am sure she is very pretty, Angel.”

“Of that there can be no question!” he said, with a zest which covered its bitterness.

“And that she is pure and virtuous goes without question?”

“Pure and virtuous, of course, she is.”

“I can see her quite distinctly.  You said the other day that she was fine in figure; roundly built; had deep red lips like Cupid’s bow; dark eyelashes and brows, an immense rope of hair like a ship’s cable; and large eyes violety-bluey-blackish.”

“I did, mother.”

“I quite see her.  And living in such seclusion she naturally had scarce ever seen any young man from the world without till she saw you.”

“Scarcely.”

“You were her first love?”

“Of course.”

“There are worse wives than these simple, rosy-mouthed, robust girls of the farm.  Certainly I could have wished—­well, since my son is to be an agriculturist, it is perhaps but proper that his wife should have been accustomed to an outdoor life.”

His father was less inquisitive; but when the time came for the chapter from the Bible which was always read before evening prayers, the Vicar observed to Mrs Clare—­

“I think, since Angel has come, that it will be more appropriate to read the thirty-first of Proverbs than the chapter which we should have had in the usual course of our reading?”

“Yes, certainly,” said Mrs Clare.  “The words of King Lemuel” (she could cite chapter and verse as well as her husband).  “My dear son, your father has decided to read us the chapter in Proverbs in praise of a virtuous wife.  We shall not need to be reminded to apply the words to the absent one.  May Heaven shield her in all her ways!”

A lump rose in Clare’s throat.  The portable lectern was taken out from the corner and set in the middle of the fireplace, the two old servants came in, and Angel’s father began to read at the tenth verse of the aforesaid chapter—­

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.  She riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household.  She girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arms.  She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; her candle goeth not out by night.  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.”

When prayers were over, his mother said—­

“I could not help thinking how very aptly that chapter your dear father read applied, in some of its particulars, to the woman you have chosen.  The perfect woman, you see, was a working woman; not an idler; not a fine lady; but one who used her hands and her head and her heart for the good of others.  ’Her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Many daughters have done virtuously, but she excelleth them all.’  Well, I wish I could have seen her, Angel.  Since she is pure and chaste, she would have been refined enough for me.”